


A Little Hero Worship Never Hurt Anybody

by awanderingmuse



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Big Three Bonding, Gen, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, kid!Jason
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-05 07:13:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5366087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awanderingmuse/pseuds/awanderingmuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fight with Circe ends with Jason getting turned into a four-year old who absolutely adores Nico. Nico isn't quite sure what to do about his new little shadow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Hero Worship Never Hurt Anybody

###### Notes

###### Okay there's a lot of people to give thanks to here. First off, thanks to Minuiko for giving me the idea for this in the first place. It's all because of her unbearably cute art. Secondly, thanks again to LtReginaBarclay for the beta work. My stories would make a lot less sense without her! 

With the sole exclusion of his sister, Nico hates sorceresses. He hates them with a burning passion. He hates them for hurting his friends, for making his sister feel powerless, for scaring his hellhound. Most importantly, Nico hates sorceresses named Circe for turning Jason into a four year old.

Nico was horrified when a quick spell leaves a much smaller Jason surrounded by monsters and screaming with fear. It was all Nico could do to summon a handful of skeletons to protect the kid until he could reach him. Defeating Circe quickly became much more important after that.

Hazel thought the spell would eventually wear off, but until then they were stuck with a little kid that is way too young for camp. Reyna flat out refused to take Jason back at Camp Jupiter saying that the records indicated it was a miracle everyone survived his first round with the Legion at a young age and she wasn’t interested in babysitting.

Nico did not find her unwillingness to help very encouraging. Still there wasn’t much he could do.

Once their little war party makes it back to camp Nico leaves Jason with Hazel because Nico has no idea what to do with small children. He’s the son of the God of the Underworld, not babysitting. Besides, Hazel has always been good with kids.

It’s great to get away from the endless chatter the chariot flight back had been marked by too. “Nico I see a cloud!” “Nico there’s wind!” And probably most embarrassing, endless demands to see his sword. He is so glad to be back on solid ground and away from the kid for a bit.

He hopes they get teenaged Jason back soon, he misses his friend already.

Instead of moping Nico goes to find Will. Hanging around the Son of Apollo always brightens Nico’s mood. He has that effect on everyone. It’s part of why Will was such a good friend.

“I heard there was an accident.” Will says the second Nico shows up in the infirmary. “Is everyone okay?”

“Sure.” Nico replies, pulling himself up to sit on one the infirmary’s many counters, “As long as okay includes being turned into a four year old.”

“Wait. What?” Will demands.

Nico doesn’t get the chance to explain because said four year old races into the building shrieking “Found you! Found you!”

Jason immediately tries and fails to climb the cabinetry to reach him. About half way up he falls back to the ground. The infirmary is filled with loud crying.

Feeling oddly protective suddenly Nico slides down the cabinets to Jason’s level. “Hey there Piccolo.” He says soothingly. Using the same voice he used when they first retrieved Jason from his skeleton guards. “What hurts?”

Jason tearfully points to his knee, which at a glance proves to have a small scrape. Will silently hands Nico a band-aid. His lips are pressed in a thin line in a poor attempt to contain his laughter. Nico makes a mental note that Will is a dirty traitor.

In short order they get Jason bandaged up and returned to Hazel who swears she only turned away for a moment. She also says that she can only care for Jason for another hour before she leaves for Camp Jupiter. When Nico looks like he’s about to stress out about finding another sitter she hastily promises to see if Annabeth can watch him for a bit.

About two hours and a whole bunch of chores later Nico feels like he should check on his friends. It’s not like he’s responsible for Jason, but well, he feels weirdly responsible for the kid.

He finds Jason with Annabeth at a picnic table by the lake. Annabeth is reading some history of architecture book out loud. Jason is hanging upside down off the edge of the table looking like he’s seriously considering doing a runner. The only problem is that the kid is on a leash. An actual kiddie leash with an owl back pack. The silvery cursive ‘Annabeth’ written across the cord speaks volumes.

Nico decides to approach the situation with extreme caution. “Hey you two.” He says as casually as possible. “How’s it going?”

“Hi Nico.” Annabeth says brightly. “We’re just reading about architecture in ancient China.”

“Architecture is boring.” Jason groans sliding the tiniest bit more off the table. Nico isn’t sure how he hasn’t fallen yet.

Annabeth looks like she’s just realized her mistake. “Oh, Jason, I’m sorry.” The older girl coos. “Maybe we should have played chess instead?”

Jason groans again and slaps a hand on his forehead. “Chess is boring too!”

Deciding to intervene Nico says. “That’s okay Annabeth. Thanks for watching Jason, but maybe I should take him to play a sport or something?”

Annabeth nods thoughtfully. “Yeah that’s probably more his speed.” she says reaching over to undo the leash for Jason. The moment he’s free Jason clumsily flips off the table and races to Nico. He’s chattering excitedly about how much he loves soccer when Percy appears out of nowhere.

“Hey Wise Girl.” Percy says easily, dropping a kiss on his girlfriend’s cheek before realizing that they have company. “Nico!”

“Hey Perce.” Nico says casually. They’ve actually gotten to be pretty good friends since the war. “How was Poseidon’s kingdom?”

“Oh, you know, I had to fight a kraken. But it wasn’t too bad.” Percy says with a dramatic eye roll.

Besides him Jason snorts. “Krakens are boring!”

Percy’s gaze snaps downward at the kid’s voice and his brow furrows in confusion. Nico can practically hear the gears turning in his brain. Annabeth’s amused smile tells him she agrees.

“Is that?” Percy starts to ask, but Jason interrupts him. The kid seems to be good at that.

“Nico, you said we could go play.” The kid complains desperately. 

Like a true hero Percy rallies to the sight of his best friend suddenly being four years old. He casually strolls over and kneels down to get on Jason’s level. “Hi, I’m Percy.” He says with a big friendly smile. “I bet you like to play catch.”

Jason stares at Percy with wide eyes for a solid minute. It’s an intense stare and Nico is sure that he’s about to lose Jason’s hero worship. He’s oddly disappointed by that. It was fun having someone look up to him.

Then Jason shakes his head vehemently and scrambles to hide shyly behind Nico’s legs. Well, Nico guesses that answers that question. Apparently as a kid Jason finds Percy scary.

“Hey Piccolo.” Nico says reaching down to rest a reassuring hand on Jason’s head. “How about we go play soccer before dinner. We can bring Annabeth and Percy if you want.”

“I’m not a pic-lo and I want Piper.” Jason insists instead. “I bet she’s good at soccer. Not as good as you probably. But you’re probably the best at everything! Why did she go away so quickly when we got here? She fights really good.”

Nico can’t help the blush that spreads across his cheeks at Jason’s compliments. Or the chuckle at the kid’s protesting the endearment. It’s not his fault that English stole the word and used it to describe a tiny flute.

Annabeth bites off an amused chuckle. Percy is starting to look a little jealous, which is even funnier.

“I. Um. She.” Nico manages to say elegantly. He’s still laughing a bit and he’s not sure how he’s supposed to tell a four year old that Piper needed a moment to accept that her boyfriend was going to be four years old for an unknown period of time.

“It’s okay, Jason.” Annabeth says kindly, getting up and grabbing Percy’s hand to lead him away. “I think piccolo just means kiddo in Italian and I’m sure Piper just had some important Cabin Leader duties to attend to. I bet she’d love to play soccer though. Percy and I can’t play right now anyways, we’re needed in the Big House.”

As Annabeth leads her reluctant boyfriend away he complains that nobody said anything to him about going to the Big House. Annabeth nudges him silent and Nico turns his attention back to Jason.

“Want to see if we can find Piper?” Nico asks. Jason nods seriously.

Piper is actually the one who finds them. She apologizes to Jason for leaving him so suddenly and offers to hold his hand as they walk over to the open space campers often play soccer in.

It’s a fun game. Jason is really good at kicking the ball around for four. He’s on Piper’s team because he’s convinced that Nico is that good. Even though the truth comes out rather quickly that Nico has never played soccer in his life. Jason just laughs and spends the afternoon teaching him.

It’s something Jason would do at his normal age and Nico finds it reassuring. Kid Jason is cute, but Nico misses his friend.

Later in the afternoon all the cabin counselors are needed in the Big House. It’s just a regular scheduling meeting. They leave Jason with Rachel, promising to get him as soon as they’re done. Jason apparently isn’t content with the arrangement.

Twenty minutes into the meeting the four year old sneaks into the meeting. He’s quiet so everyone pretends they don’t see him. Jason makes his way to the braided rug Nico is sitting on. At first Jason sits quietly and even listens to the meeting. But he’s a kid and gets bored easily.

Honestly Nico gets bored easily too. So far it’s just been Chiron droning on and on about the importance of weapons practice. Across the room Percy is snoring lightly against Annabeth.

Chiron isn’t seeing a thing. Nico suspects the special treatment is because Percy just got in from a major underwater battle. That’s also why nobody is complaining.

Nico can’t help but start to doze off himself. He hates boring meetings. Dozing is why he is startled by soft chubby arms wrapping around his own and a soft cheek rubbing against his sleeve. Nico glances down to see Jason looking up at him with adoring eyes and a star struck smile. His little legs are tucked under Nico’s and the kid won’t stop staring. It’s devastatingly cute.

He hears a shutter flash and knows someone has snapped a photo. Nico’s money is on Piper. She’s going to enjoy teasing her boyfriend about this once he is old enough to date her again.

Unable to stop the smile that touches the corner of his lips Nico returns his attention to the meeting. But not before whispering, “Stay quiet Piccolo” and wrapping his arm around Jason’s back in a loose hug.

Chiron is now talking about chores. Slowly Jason falls asleep next to him. By the end of the meeting Nico is faced with a lapful of sleeping four year old.

When they are dismissed everyone clears out as quietly as possible so they don’t wake Jason up. After a moment Nico looks up trying to figure out how to get up. He sees Will standing nearby.

“You look like you could use a hand.” His friend says. Wills eyes sparkle with amusement.

“Can you take him for a moment?” Nico asks with relief. Will nods and gently scoops Jason up. The kid squirms a little in his sleep but doesn’t wake up.

“I’m not sure why everyone has suddenly decided I’m Jason’s care taker.” Nico mutters as he climbs to his feet. “You’d think people would want to keep the golden boy away from me.”

Will rolls his eye. “Now, Nico, we’ve talked about down talk.” He says and Nico has to bite back a sarcastic remark about Will not being his therapist. Will is only trying to help and he does have a point.

“Sorry.” Nico murmurs reaching out for Jason. Will hands the sleeping boy off easily. “I’m just going to put him down for a nap until dinner.”

“Good idea.” Will agrees. “Do you need help?”

“I think we’ll be fine.” Nico says with an appreciative smile. “But thanks.”

Nico has a nice quiet afternoon until the conch horn sounds to call everyone to dinner. Jason sits up immediately in the bunk Nico laid him, looking for the source of the loud noise.

“Hey there, Jason.” Nico says from his desk where he was studying for the GED. Jason’s attention is immediately drawn to Nico. He stares at him with wide sleepy eyes. “Did you sleep well?”

For some reason that question snaps Jason into wakefulness. “Nico!” the kid cries shrilly, throwing himself off the bed and into Nico’s lap. Nico can’t do much more than return his friend’s hug. The hug is why he can feel Jason’s stomach grumble with hunger.

“Think you’re up for dinner?” Nico asks. “We’re going to have to sit with Percy the whole time.” They’d made a Big Three table to make room for some minor god tables in the dinning pavilion .Now Jason and Percy sat with Nico when they were at camp. It’s a poorly kept secret that the hope is that exposure will keep the children of Big Three from getting into major fights and starting wars.

“Percy is a dummy.” Jason states, and Nico doesn’t think he can be blamed for cracking up.

Once he’s got himself back under control Nico says. “You’re not wrong, Jason. But Percy is also a genuinely good guy. Give him a chance, yeah?”

Jason frowns but he must decide he’s hungry enough to agree to it. The little boy hops off Nico’s lap and grabs his hand to lead him out the door. Together they walk to the dinning pavilion.

Percy is already at the Big Three table wolfing down a sub sandwich. Nico has always been entertained by the way Percy eats. Big bites and hasty swallows. Of all three of them Percy can definitely put away the most food, even when Jason isn’t pint sized.

When Percy sees them he swallows and waves them over. “Hey you two!” Percy says brightly. “Have a good day?”

Nico looks to Jason, letting the kid launch into his story about soccer but Jason seems much more interested in the food spread across the table. He lets go of Nico’s hand and goes directly for the cake.

“Yeah, it was good.” Nico says since Jason won’t. “Jason took a nap after the meeting. So not much happened.”

Percy nods understandingly. “You’ve been watching him all day, huh?”

“Yeah.” Nico replies thoughtfully.

“If you want a break I’d be more than happy to help.” Percy offers easily. “Jason’s my friend too, yeah?”

Nico smiles gratefully at that. “If you can get him to stay, sure.”

“Stay?” Percy says surprised. “Why would I have trouble with that? He’s four right now.”

“And Annabeth had him on a leash.” Nico points out while spearing a few choice bits of meat onto his plate along with a couple of spoonful’s of vegetables. If Percy was the one of the Big Three kids who could put away the most food, Nico ate the least. But he was doing better and better about remembering to eat.

Percy frowns. “Yeah but Annabeth was reading him an architecture book.”

Nico gives Percy a look encouraging him to continue with his train of thought. He wasn’t a mind reader.

“I wouldn’t do that.” Percy says as if it’s obvious, and he has a point. Nico knows Percy isn’t one for reading. “See watch. I bet I can have Jason charmed into being my friend before dinner is over.”

Nico snorts and tells Percy to knock himself out. A break during dinner would be nice.

Percy slides down the bench to where Jason had gone. The kid is trying to have dessert before he eats his dinner and Nico has already decided he isn’t going to fight him on it.

“Hey, Jason.” Percy says kindly to the four year old who startles and drops his spoon.

Because he isn’t a jerk Percy reaches across the table and hands Jason a fresh spoon before retrieving the dirty one. “That’s a lot of cake bud.” Percy continues as if Jason hadn’t just dropped his cutlery. “Do you want some help eating it?”

Jason shakes his head emphatically. “No. It’s mine!” the young soldier declares.

Percy holds up his hands in surrender and says. “Sure thing bud.” Then after a moment’s thought says, “Hey, do you want to see something cool?”

Jason stares at Percy for a solid minute before shouting “No!” and sliding down the bench towards Nico. Jason crashes into him and immediately starts demanding “Skeleton!” over and over again.

It takes Nico a moment to figure out that Jason wants a skeleton warrior. The kid really must have liked having his own army protecting him during the fight. Nico shrugs helplessly in Percy’s direction and turns back to Jason. “I can’t do that right now, Jase.”

“But why?” Jason whines, all the excitement going out of him. Nico takes the opportunity to shove a plateful of actual food at him.

How to explain to kid with no fear that summoning skeletons would terrify the younger campers and have a serious impact on his social life.

Apparently Jason was also trying to figure out why he couldn’t see the skeleton warriors while Nico thought because he suddenly asks, “Is it because they have to have dinner at their houses?”

Further down the table Percy chokes on a french fry.

Nico can’t bring himself to correct Jason. It was the perfect out and Jason was looking at him with such wide interested eyes. “Sure. That’s exactly it.”

Percy chokes on the soda he was sipping to recover from the fry. Nico and Jason both ignore him.

“Then can they come after dinner?” Jason asks, his blue eyes widening hopefully.

Apparently it is physically impossible for Nico to directly say no to the kid. “We’ll see after dinner, Piccolo.”

Jason seems to accept that and drops the idea all together when Nico mentions the camps bon fire. Nico, Piper, Percy, Annabeth, and Will all sit together during the singalong. The group is extremely amused when Jason falls asleep within thirty minutes.

Nico decides to leave early so he can put the kid to bed. And to get a moment of quiet. It’s been a busy day. As entertaining as it has been he hopes Jason doesn’t stay this way for long. The camps need their Pontifex Maximus. He and The Seven need their friend.

After Nico gets Jason to bed he goes to sit out on the steps of Cabin 13 for a while. That way he can at least say hi to all his friends as they head to bed. Most of the campers pass by with a wave or simple hi. Some stop to exchange a few words. But Percy walks over and sits next to him like it’s his right.

It’s not a big deal though. He’s become one of Nico’s best friends. It’s not easy to find people that understand what it’s like being a Big Three kid. There’s only five Big Three kids alive as far as anyone knows.

“Jason asleep?” Percy asks as he makes himself comfortable on the steps.

Nico nods. “He didn’t wake up at all when I put him to bed.”

“Busy day for the little guy.” Percy says, trying to sound wise. 

Nico thinks he shouldn’t be blamed for cracking up. It had been a long day and Percy always sounds dumb when he tries to sound wise.

Percy pouts as Nico pulls himself together and agrees. Apparently that’s enough for Nico to be forgiven. They share a smile and then sit together in companionable silence, occasionally waving to campers that pass by on the way back to their cabins.

It’s just starting to get late enough that the harpies will soon be a concern when there’s movement from inside the cabin. Percy and Nico jump to their feet immediately, prepared for a fight. The footsteps coming from inside are far too heavy to be Jason’s.

But when the door opens that’s who’s standing there. Jason back to his normal age. Percy shouts “Bro!” and tackles their friend with a bear hug.

Jason bemusedly returns the hug and grins at Nico.

“Feeling more like yourself?” Nico can’t help but ask.

After untangling himself form Percy’s hug Jason nods, but his smile turns sheepish. “Yeah. Thanks for, you know, watching over me.”

He wants to say anytime that it’s not a big deal. But there’s something he has to know. Nico returns the smile. “No problem Jase. But, why me?”

“What do you mean?” Jason says frowning.

“The camp is full of awesome people to attach to. Why me?” Nico prompts.

For some reason Jason still looks like the question confuses him but he answers. “Well, I guess you reminded me a bit of Thalia.” He says thoughtfully. “And you are cool.”

Nico didn’t really know how to reply to Jason’s admission. Luckily Percy was able to cover the awkward moment about as subtlety as a heard of elephants.

“But I’m cool and you hated me!” Percy interjects. He sounds so ridiculous and whiney that Nico can’t help it, he bursts into laughter again. Jason does to, so it’s okay.

“Gods Percy, I didn’t hate you.” Jason eventually manages to gasp through his laughter induced tears.

Percy frowns and crosses his arms clearly offended. “Obviously you did.”

Helplessly Jason gestures towards Percy. “This right here is why I acted the way I did. It was way more entertaining. And Nico was way cooler.”

Jason winks at Nico who smiles back. Percy probably would have pushed the issue just to be difficult, despite the fact that he’s said as much himself. Unfortunately they are interrupted by a shriek. “Campers out of bed! Big Three Sons make good dinner for Harpies!”

Jason and Percy both turn to Nico with wide eyes. “Run!” He tells the twits before fleeing into Cabin 13. He watches from a window as they run to their own cabins shoving each other and laughing the whole way.


End file.
